This invention relates to apparatus for endotracheal and esophageal intubation and more particularly to such apparatus which is adapted to establish an airway rapidly in a patient regardless of whether or not the air way is initially established to the trachea or to the esophagus.
Heretofore in the art to which my invention relates, difficulties have been encountered in establishing an airway rapidly in a patient under emergency conditions due to the fact that the airway is sometimes initially established to the esophagus rather than to the trachea whereby the apparatus must be removed and reinserted or the passageway to the esophagus must be closed to prevent air from being forced into the stomach and also to prevent regurigation. Where the passageway to the esophagus is closed, other means must be provided for communicating the apparatus with the trachea, such as by providing passageways in the upper portion of the apparatus which may be open at the time the passageway into the esophagus is closed. The Kenneth L. Davidson U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,377 shows apparatus wherein an adaptor is inserted into an elongated tubular member whereby a portion of the tubular member is sealed upon insertion of the adaptor into the tubular member or upon rotation of components of the adaptor relative to each other to close a portion of the elongated tube. The insertion of such adaptors or the movement of one portion of the adaptor relative to another after insertion into the patient is very difficult and requires a considerable amount of time. Also, it is difficult to determine positively whether or not the passageway to the esophagus has been closed. The patents to Schossow U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,493 and Doherty U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,541 also show conventional types of endotracheal tubes.